Abstract: A heat exchanger system for cooling liquid having a plurality of finned tube arrays and a plurality of fans for inducing air through the finned tube array comprising: at least one wind deflector installed along the long side of the finned tube arrays on at least one side of the arrays.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system for cooling liquid includes a generally rectangular arrangement of a plurality of horizontally spaced finned tube arrays arranged above the ground, the arrangement having longer sides extending in a length direction and shorter sides extending in a width direction. A plurality of fans are provided above the finned tube arrays for inducing air through the finned tube arrays, wherein at least two of said fans are mutually spaced in the width direction. At least one wind deflector is provided adjacent one of the longer sides, wherein the at least one wind deflector is installed on the ground separately from any of the plurality of finned tube arrays.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for operating a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer comprising the steps of: serially supplying a medium or low temperature source fluid to each corresponding vaporizer of one or more first plant modules, respectively, to a secondary preheater of a first module, and to a vaporizer of a terminal module, whereby to produce heat depleted source fluid; providing a primary preheater for each vaporizer; and supplying said heat depleted source fluid to all of said primary preheaters in parallel.

Abstract: A method of minimizing the effect of wind on a heat exchanger system includes setting the pivot angle of a wind deflector to an initial angle; collecting and recording a current reading of one of an outlet temperature sensor, a wind speed sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, or a heat exchanger inlet air pressure sensor; comparing the current reading of the sensor to a previous reading; and changing the pivot angle of the wind deflector from an initial angle when the current sensor reading is changed from the previous reading.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a downhole pump impeller of a geothermal downhole pump includes locating a line shaft to a selected depth, monitoring the depth of a lowermost distal end of the line shaft using a monitor positioned at a lowermost distal end of the line shaft, determining that the depth of the lowermost distal end of the line shaft has significantly changed, and taking a corrective action to return the depth of the lowermost distal end of the line shaft to the selected depth. The depth of the lowermost distal end is monitored by directing a beam of light emitted from a housing mounted on a outer portion of the downhole pump onto a plurality of reflective elements located on the line shaft distal end, and determining whether a receiver mounted in the outer portion receives light reflected from one of the plurality of reflective elements.

Abstract: A power system for delivering a custom level of electrical power to an industrial or commercial facility includes a local generator connected to a turbine operating in accordance with an organic Rankine or steam Rankine cycle. The local generator has a capacity at least greater than a maximum anticipated power level needed for the electrical needs of a local industrial or commercial facility. One or more control devices are operatively connected to the local generator for regulating active and reactive power generated by the generator. A controller directs the one or more control devices to regulate the generator such that the active power and reactive power generated by the generator are sufficient to satisfy active and reactive load conditions of local industrial or commercial facilities.

Abstract: For minimizing the effect of wind on a heat exchanger system having a plurality of finned tube arrays and a plurality of fans, a method includes providing a wind louver below one of the fans. The wind louver is arranged to divert wind flowing in an approximately horizontal direction below the one of the plurality of fans to instead flow in a direction that is more vertically upward as compared to the approximately horizontal direction. Readings of a heat exchanger outlet temperature, ambient temperature, wind, and inlet air pressure are collected and recorded, and compared to previous readings. The louver height is changed if the readings have changed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing load-following power using low to medium temperature heat source fluid comprising the steps of: reducing the power level produced by a Rankine cycle power plant producing load-following power operating on a low to medium temperature heat source fluid during one period of time; storing heat not used during the first period of time; and using the heat stored for producing power during a second period of time.

Abstract: A method for stimulating a sub-commercial geothermal well includes steps of drilling a stimulating well; isolating a corresponding zone in the stimulating well using vertically spaced swell packers that are swellable when contacted by subterraneously heated geothermal brine present in the stimulating well and are resistant to the high temperature of the brine; injecting stimulating fluid into the stimulating well such that it will flow only through a zone of the well that is not isolated; and allowing the stimulating fluid to exit the well from a non-isolated zone located at a desired depth into a surrounding geological formation. The fracture or system of fractures within the formation is thereby hydraulically reopened.

Abstract: The present invention provides a geothermal based heat utilization system for just about preventing scaling of geothermal fluid in a heat exchanger, comprising a mixing unit upstream to a heat exchanger of said system and in which separated brine, steam condensate and non-condensable gas portions are mixed so as to just about reconstruct the geothermal fluid to just about equilibrium conditions such that dissolved solids are assured not to precipitate in the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A method for producing power from geothermal fluid includes: separating the geothermal fluid in a flash tank into geothermal vapor comprising steam and non-condensable gases, and geothermal brine; supplying the geothermal vapor to a vaporizer; vaporizing a preheated motive fluid in the vaporizer using heat from the geothermal vapor to produce heat-depleted geothermal vapor and vaporized motive fluid, wherein the heat content in the geothermal vapor exiting the flash tank is only enough to vaporize the preheated motive fluid in the vaporizer; expanding the vaporized motive fluid in a vapor turbine producing power and expanded vaporized motive fluid; condensing the expanded vaporized motive fluid in a condenser to produce condensed motive fluid; and preheating the condensed motive fluid in a preheater using heat from the heat-depleted geothermal vapor and the geothermal brine, thereby producing the preheated motive fluid, make-up water and heat-depleted geothermal brine.

Abstract: An air cooled, finned heat exchanger tube includes a metallic tube through which fluid to be cooled is flowable. The tube has an outer surface on which axially spaced axial indentations are formed over its circumference, and a plurality of axially spaced fins each of which has a main element formed with heat transfer promoting patterns and a base angled with respect to said main element. The base is frictionally and irremovably secured within a corresponding indentation so that said tube outer surface is completely covered.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling water supply system, comprising a condenser for cooling working fluid of a facility to a predetermined temperature; a cooling tower into which is injectable heated cooling water that has exited said condenser, for reducing the temperature of said heated cooling water primarily through evaporative cooling; a basin beneath said cooling tower, for receiving a non-evaporated portion of said heated cooling water discharged from the cooling tower; and flow control equipment for varying the level of a fluid characteristic of a water body of said cooling water within the basin, wherein the body of water, after achieving a predetermined low level of water fluid characteristic by said flow control equipment, remains at a sufficiently low temperature throughout a subsequent predetermined time period to generate a desired condensate temperature by a portion thereof that is delivered to said condenser, even when mixed with the cooling tower discharge which is of a higher temperatur

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for generating power from fuel cell waste heat, comprising: at least one fuel cell module for generating power and producing waste heat; a bottoming cycle power block through which a motive fluid circulates to generate power; a waste heat heat-transfer unit for transferring heat from exhaust gases of the at least one fuel cell module to the bottoming cycle power block motive fluid thereby producing a desired combined power level from the at least one fuel cell module and the bottoming cycle power block.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for operating a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer comprising the steps of. serially supplying a medium or low temperature source fluid to each corresponding vaporizer of one or more first plant modules, respectively, to a secondary preheater of a first module, and to a vaporizer of a terminal module, whereby to produce heat depleted source fluid; providing a primary preheater for each vaporizer; and supplying said heat depleted source fluid to all of said primary preheaters in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hybrid geothermal power plant, comprising a photovoltaic module for generating direct current electrical power, a geothermal unit for utilizing heat content of a geothermal fluid extracted from a production well to produce power, and a controller for coordinating operation of the photovoltaic module and the geothermal unit such that the power plant generates a substantially uniform electrical output.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preventing damage to a downhole pump impeller of a downhole pump such as a geothermal downhole pump, comprising the steps of setting a rotatable part of a downhole pump to a selected depth, monitoring the depth of the rotatable part, determining that the depth of the rotatable part has significantly changed, and taking a corrective action to return the depth of the rotatable part to said selected depth in order to prevent damage to an impeller that is liable to be caused by a change in depth of the rotatable part. The present invention is also directed to a downhole pump such as a geothermal downhole pump, comprising a line shaft, an impeller engaged with the line shaft for pressurizing fluid to be extracted from a well, and monitoring apparatus for monitoring the depth of a distal end of the line shaft in order to prevent damage to the impeller that is liable to be caused by a change in depth of the distal end.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for selecting the location of a stimulating well, comprising the steps of conducting a geological study of a field containing a geothermal hydrothermal resource by operating geological useful equipment, determining a maximum horizontal stress line within said field by means of a device, generating a map of existing wells including a plurality of sub-commercial wells within said field relative to said maximum horizontal stress line, measuring a distance between each of said sub-commercial wells and the maximum horizontal stress line, determining that those sub-commercial wells aligned with, or located relatively close to the maximum horizontal stress line are stimulatable, and selecting a location of a stimulating well for stimulating the stimulatable well that is separated less than an anticipated fracture propagating distance from said stimulatable well.

Abstract: A method for preventing damage to a downhole pump impeller of a downhole pump includes setting a rotatable part of a downhole pump to a selected depth, monitoring the depth of the rotatable part, determining that the depth of the rotatable part has significantly changed, and taking a corrective action to return the depth of the rotatable part to said selected depth in order to prevent damage to an impeller that is liable to be caused by a change in depth of the rotatable part. The downhole pump further has a line shaft, an impeller engaged with the line shaft for pressurizing fluid to be extracted from a well, and monitoring apparatus for monitoring the depth of a distal end of the line shaft in order to prevent damage to the impeller that is liable to be caused by a change in depth of the distal end.

Abstract: A waste heat recovery system includes a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine, in which the high pressure turbine receives high pressure working fluid vapor, the low pressure turbine receives low pressure working fluid vapor and the high pressure turbine also supplies low pressure working fluid vapor to the low pressure turbine. A recuperator receives working fluid vapor from the low pressure turbine. The recuperator produces heated condensate, at least a portion of which is provided to a high pressure vaporizer. The high pressure vaporizer is configured to receive from a high temperature heat source and produces high pressure working vapor used to power the high pressure turbine. The remaining condensed fluid is provided to a low pressure vaporizer which is configured to receive heat from a low-temperature heat source, thereby producing low pressure working fluid vapor used to power the low pressure turbine.